JPH08315112A - Image input device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To recognize characters, symbols, etc., on an object which moves fast. CONSTITUTION: The image input device includes a processor 101 which performs total processing with the outside and a preprocessor 109 which processes image signals from respective image pickup device cameras, and a shutter operating circuit 105 finds the moving speed of the object with the signal of a photosensor accepting circuit 102. The electronic shutter speed of an image pickup device is determined by set timing form the shutter operating circuit to a flip-flop 107. The image signal from each image pickup device is converted by an A/D converter 104 into a digital signal, which is temporarily stored in a memory 110. The preprocessor informs the processor that there are data necessary for recognition processing in its memory in such a case. And, the data in its area are transmitted to a memory 112 for a monitor according to the instruction of the processor.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to image capture devices.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a method for capturing an image in a wide area using a plurality of image pickup devices, there is JP-A-63-14281. If a plurality of image pickup devices are used for image pickup, the whole image of the target small character area will be picked up by any one image pickup device, and it is thought that this can be solved by simple image processing. If it is a low-speed production line, there is a high possibility that the whole image will be picked up by one image pickup device, and it is possible to take in the image several times. But on the production line,
There is a demand for higher efficiency, and the speeding up of production lines is becoming more and more inevitable. Especially when the image processing device is applied to a high-speed steel production line (equivalent to 200 Km / Hr), it is impossible to take the whole image with one image pickup device, and if the image pickup fails once, Things move to the next production line. Therefore, it is necessary to integrate and edit the image signals of the screens captured by the plurality of imaging devices to obtain an image capturing the entire image of the object. From that image,
The function to extract and process the necessary parts is required.

[0003]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]
It is to extract a specific area to be moved from among them and to be able to recognize the characters and the like of the extracted portion. Therefore, it is necessary to capture a wide area with a plurality of imaging devices to obtain an image close to a still image of a moving target. In addition, by integrating and editing the image signals between the imaging devices,
Make it a screen so that any part or the whole can be extracted as an image.

[0004]

Means for Solving the Problems In order that the images obtained by a plurality of image pickup devices can be image-processed, since the target is moving, the image pickup timings between the image pickup devices are synchronized to obtain a still image. Need to get an image. Further, in order to be able to integrate and edit the image signals of each screen, a screen position adjusting function is required.

[0005]

In order to synchronize the image pickup timing, the electronic shutters of all the image pickup devices are synchronized and operated at various timings from the control device. Further, the subsequent image processing signals are also operated based on the same clock.

The image signals from the respective image pickup devices are temporarily recorded in the memory so that the image signals of the respective screens can be integrated and edited. After that, it is displayed on the monitor screen. Read out to the video memory for display, recognize the imaging position of the imaging device from the monitor screen, and enable adjustment. The screen position is adjusted by looking at the monitor from the movement amount input (eg mouse).

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An example of the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

An overall configuration and an outline of the operation will be described with reference to FIG. 2 (details of the operation will be described later with reference to FIG. 1).
In the production line, the product 8 is placed on the belt conveyor 10 and is moving. When trying to automatically recognize the characters on the paper 9 attached to the product, the area occupied by the characters is extremely small compared to the product. Further, since the position where the product is placed is not fixed, the place where the characters pass is also unstable. Therefore, it is necessary to take a picture of a large area and search for a character area in the area to recognize it.

Two photo sensors 4 detect a moving product. The control device 1 calculates the moving speed of the product from the difference between the detection times. From the detection time and the moving speed, the time of passage in front of each of the fixedly installed image pickup devices 5 can be predicted. The control device, which determines the operation time of the electronic shutter and the shutter time width, operates the shutters of the image pickup devices in synchronization when the product passes in front of the image pickup devices.

Further, depending on the shutter time width, the exposure becomes insufficient. As a countermeasure, the lighting device 7 is prepared. The relationship between the shutter time width and the required exposure amount is measured in advance and stored as a data in the control device. When the shutter time width is determined, the required exposure amount is referenced from the memory, and the light control device 6 of the illumination device is controlled based on the value.

The control device which takes in the image signals obtained at the same timing from each image pickup device can synthesize and edit the obtained images and output them to the monitor 3. At the time of adjustment, the display is controlled by the operation from the input device 2, but when online, the operation from the input device 2 is unnecessary.
The control device will perform the automatic display and recognition process. The input device 2 includes a device for operation selection and value setting (for example, keyboard), a variation amount setting device for position adjustment between images (for example, mouse), and the like.

A control device that performs the entire process will be described with reference to FIG.

The processor 101 is responsible for overall processing such as external interface. It is the preprocessor 109 that processes the image signal from each imaging device.

The photosensor reception circuit 102 shapes the waveform of the signal from the sensor and converts the level into a signal that can be handled in the control device. The level-converted signal is applied to the shutter operation circuit.
Tell 105. The configuration and operation of the shutter operation circuit are shown in FIG.
This will be described with reference to (a). The signal from the photo sensor signal 1 (first signal) serves as a start signal, and the counting circuit 121
Clear the contents of and make it active. And
The counting circuit counts the pulse output from the clock circuit 106. Next, the signal from the photosensor signal 2 (the latter signal) becomes a stop signal, and the operation of the counting circuit is stopped. After that, the count value at the time of stop is held. A value obtained by multiplying the count value by 2N is set in the register with preset function 123 by a stop signal passing through the delay circuit 122. If the distance between the photosensor signal 2 and the image pickup device group is set to a distance that is 2N times the distance between the photosensor signals, a value corresponding to the time that the moving target passes in front of the image pickup device is set. become. Also, the stop signal is input to the processor as an interrupt signal. Processor 1
When 01 detects an interrupt signal, it takes in the contents of the counting circuit 121. The moving speed of the object is calculated from the value. An electronic shutter corresponding to the moving speed and a necessary exposure amount conversion table as shown in FIG. 6 are prepared in advance (data collection by experiments is required). The table corresponding to the electronic shutter speed is set in the preset function register 124 from the fetched value by referring to the table.

Further, the control of the illumination device 7 also refers to the table and sets the data corresponding to the required exposure amount in the register 111 (see FIG. 1) based on the moving speed. The set value is converted into an analog amount by the A / D converter. The dimmer 6 is variably controlled by the analog. The contents of the register 123 are subtracted by the pulse of the reference clock 106, and when the value becomes zero, the preset function register 124 becomes active. At that time, the flip-flop 107 (see FIG. 1) is set and the output is turned on. The operation of opening the shutter is started in the ON state. The subtraction is performed by the pulse of the reference clock 106, and when the counter becomes zero, the flip-flop is turned off and the shutter is closed.

The timing operation is shown in FIG.
The counting circuit accumulates the number of input pulses by the start signal and the stop signal. Then, a value that is 2N times the integrated value is set in the register with preset function and subtracted in synchronization with the pulse of the reference clock 106. The value set in the register 124 with the preset function is also the reference clock 1
It is subtracted in synchronization with the pulse of 06 (see FIG. 5 for the timing operation of the flip-flop 107).

Next, the synchronizing operation on the electronic shutter side of the image pickup apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS. Lens 5
1 is for condensing light. The CCD 52 is a semiconductor image pickup device. As a characteristic of the CCD, when light is illuminated with a voltage applied to the electrodes, charges corresponding to the amount of illumination are accumulated.
Therefore, the amount of incident light at an arbitrary timing can be measured by waiting in a non-application state and applying only when necessary. The timing may be adjusted when the moving object passes in front of the imaging device.

Each image pickup device operates based on an electronic shutter operation command signal (output of the flip-flop 107) from the control device. Further, the timing generating circuit 53 transmits the obtained image signal to the control device based on the reference clock from the control device.

Next, processing of the image signal from each image pickup device will be described. The image signal from each imaging device is converted into a digital signal by the A / D converter 104 and stored in the memory 11
Once stored at 0. FIG. 5 shows the timings of the electronic shutter operation command signal and the video signal scanning clock.

Further, each of the image pickup devices picks up an image of substantially the same area, and sets the adjacent portions so as to overlap each other so that the entire object can be surely picked up (see FIG. 7).
Therefore, when the screens are combined, it is necessary to adjust the positions of the images. Therefore, the video memory 112 can store image signals from four adjacent image pickup devices. Which of the stored data areas is to be displayed can be selected from an operation selection and value setting device (for example, a keyboard) provided in the input device 2. Further, the movement of the image is performed from a fluctuation amount setting device (eg, mouse).

A method of adjusting the position will be described. Since only one screen image can be displayed on the monitor, it is necessary to adjust while cutting out four screen images. During adjustment, the center of four adjacent screens is displayed on the monitor. The shaded area in FIG. 7 corresponds.

As shown in FIG. 8, the adjustment requires not only vertical and horizontal movement but also rotational movement, so that a device such as a mouse is suitable.

The procedure will be described with reference to FIG. When adjusting the screen, an interrupt signal is input from the keyboard to the processor 101 via the external interrupt acceptance circuit 103.
The processor shifts to the screen adjustment mode by the interrupt. After confirming that the screen adjustment mode has been entered, set the start address of the address to be displayed from the keyboard. However, the address where the center of four adjacent screens is displayed on the monitor is set.

For example, the positions of the respective images are aligned with each other on the basis of the image of the image pickup device which is picking up the upper leftmost position. Next, the upper right image is selected as the adjustment image. After selection, position is adjusted with the mouse. When the operator moves the mouse, the selection screen moves according to the amount of movement. While checking the positions of the reference screen and the selection screen on the monitor, adjust the positions so that they match. The next adjustment screen is selected when it is judged by visual inspection that the positions match each other. Such an operation is sequentially performed, and the process ends when position adjustment is performed on all screens.

Next, the operation of recognizing and transmitting the picked-up image will be described online.

The preprocessor 109 confirms the presence / absence of data necessary for recognition processing from the data transmitted and temporarily stored in the memory 110. If there is data of the object in its own memory, it reports to the processor the start address where the data exists (always the top left is the start) and the existence of the data. The processor calculates the existence area of the image to be recognized as a target from the information of each preprocessor,
Indicate the data area to be transmitted to the corresponding preprocessor. According to the instructions of the processor, the preprocessor transmits the data in the designated area to the monitor memory. By this operation, image data for four screens is stored in the video memory. The processor cuts out the existing region of the image to be recognized from the stored data, displays it on the monitor, and performs image processing for recognition.

When one image pickup device can pick up all the target images, the preprocessor performs image recognition processing and the like, and only the result is transmitted to the processor.

All the data for one unit is sent to the monitor memory at the address corresponding to the upper left screen. The processor instructs to display the upper left screen.

As a result, the processing speed can be increased.

In the above description, an example of four screens was explained, but
The number of screens is not limited. 20 (5 ×
4) The present invention can be applied to the screen. Since each preprocessor performs preprocessing, the processing speed does not slow down.

[0031]

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION In a production line whose efficiency is improved, it is inevitable that a high speed is required. In particular, when the image processing device is applied to a steel production line, even if a plurality of image pickup devices are prepared, the probability that the entire image of the object is picked up by one image pickup device is extremely low.

Therefore, by synchronizing the image signals of the respective image pickup devices and picking up the images, an image equivalent to a still image in a wide area can be obtained, so that the image processing of the high speed moving object is realized.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a control device that performs overall control of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a system configuration to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration and operation of a shutter operation circuit.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the electronic shutter.

FIG. 5 is a timing chart of an electronic shutter.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a table table in the processor.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of screen compositing between imaging devices.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of position adjustment between imaging devices.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating work of position adjustment.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of screen composition between a large number of image pickup devices.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Control device, 2 ... Input device, 3 ... Monitor, 4 ... Photo sensor, 5 ... Imaging device, 6 ... Light control device, 7 ... Illumination device, 8
... Target product, 9 ... Recognition target, 101 ... Processor, 10
9 ... Preprocessor.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Masakazu Okada 5-2-1 Omika-cho, Hitachi-shi, Ibaraki Hitachi Process Computer Engineering Co., Ltd. (72) Manabu Araoka 5-2, Omika-cho, Hitachi-shi, Ibaraki No. 1 Incorporated company Hitachi, Ltd. Omika factory (72) Inventor Takayuki Yoneoka 5-2-1 Omika-cho, Hitachi-shi, Ibaraki Hitachi Process Computer Engineering Co., Ltd. (72) Keiichi Nakazato Hitachi Ibaraki Hitachi 5-2-1 Omika-cho, Oita-shi, Hitachi Process Computer Engineering Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Mikio Kuroki 5-2-1 Omika-cho, Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A function for generating a shutter operation control signal for synchronizing image pickup timing with respect to a plurality of image pickup devices, and a memory for storing image signals for one screen each upon receiving image signals from the plurality of image pickup devices. And a function of integrating and editing the recorded image signals of the respective screens and processing any part or the whole of the images captured by the plurality of imaging devices as an image. Characteristic image capturing device. 2. The operation timing of each image pickup device according to claim 1, wherein the moving speed of the target object is measured, and the electronic shutter speed and the operation timing of the image pickup device for synchronization are automatically calculated from the measured values. Image capture device with a function to control the synchronization of images. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the recorded image signals of the respective screens are integrated and edited to process any part or all of the images captured by the plurality of image pickup devices as an image. An image capture device that has the function of adjusting the position between images from the outside.